Which type of microscope would be the best tool to use to view the surface of a bacterial cell? Why?

Electron Microscope

Explanation:

The maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes is ultimately limited by the wavelengths of visible light. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000×, and a few can magnify up to 1500×, but this does not begin to approach the magnifying power of an electron microscope (EM), which uses short-wavelength electron beams rather than light to increase magnification and resolution.

-The electron microscope can achieve a much greater resolution than that obtained with the light microscope because the wavelength of electrons is shorter than that of light.